Top.



E. F. SCHOELL.

APPLICATION FILED DECAZSI |915. L253yl95 Putcn'ed Jun. 8,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- Jil 273/1 E. F. SCHOELL TOP.

vAPPLICATION miv Dsc. 28. 1916.

Lgw. Patemmlan. 8,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

Inv-Elfman' MMM l mw

11N WED eateries raraNr unieron.

EUGENE FRANK SCHOELL, NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR, BY

AssIGNMEN'rsz To THE ivin'ransrnoiamx ooMPANY,

NECTIGUT, Va coRPona'rioN.

or NEW BRITAIN, `ooN- TOP.

Specification `of Letters Patent.

'Patented Jan. d,

Applicatonlzed December 28, 1916. Serial No. 139,262.

To all whom t may concern e e Be it known that I, EUGENE FRANK SoHonLL,a citizen'of the United States, re-` Vthat iscomplete and self-eontainedtin the form of a unitary structure, being without separable or looseparts. e l

In the accompanying drawingt 4 Figure `1 isa side elevationofinyvimproved top.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same.

Fig. '3 is a sectional View on the line az-m of Fig. 2. i e

Fig. 4 is a similar View of the upper part or' the same with theparts inthe released positiof Fig. 5 is a bottom view of of the cover.

Fig. G is a bridge. y i

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of a modification ofmy top.

Fig. 8 is an edge view of thc shaft shown in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of another' modilication of my top.

the inner side plan view of the blank for the Fig. 10 is a planview ofthe blank for the barrel and bridge member shown in tl. y

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary ,sectional view on an enlarged scale, showingcertainpartg shown inl FiggQ and adifi'erent position.`

Fig. 12 is asimilar view, with the parts turned degrees from theposition showny in Fig. 11.

Fig. 13 is a plan View of the blank for the head or handle shown inFigs. 9, A107 117 and 12.

My improvedA top comprises a `sliell-lihje casing l0 having the exteriorform. in oon-l ormityto the usual form for spinning tops, comprising atapered lower4 portibn terminating in the tip 11" and ademe shaped upperportion andhas at the upper.` end upwardly projectingstem 12 terminatingin a circular flat head 13, and within the casing 10 is housed mechanismfor winding'the top by turning the head 13 and Wliioh'lmechanism servesto operate the top and set the o same in rotation or spinning bymomentarily depressing the head 13 while the tip 11 is:

resting on the table or other support.V o

The easing 10 is made of sheet material and .is lcomposed ofitwo partscomprising the lower part 1s; having the tapered side walls and provided`with the tip 11 at the lmver end, and the upper part 15 having the domeshape,and provided in the top end with the hole 16 for the stem l2,thesaid parts haring overlapping edges as shown at 1j? and being .lockedin place in some suitable manl ner. as by means of aset of lugs 18formed by indentmg themateriall of one part entwo partsl andl whenunited as desrribed torming a unitary casing structure.

The stem 12 serves asa shaft for the cas ing 10, the hole leserving, asthe upper bear-` bridge v v .70. gaged with holes 19 1n the mating part,the 1 rlhe bridge 21 consists of a piece. ol sheet material, comprisingaV body portion ot suiti able length to iorm a bearingv platform for thelower endoi the springgQQ and having thelbearinghole 20, and having theend` portions 23,turned downwardly and provided at the tip ends withprongs Q-l that` are entered through holes 25 in the side walls of thelower part lil and which prongs 24e are of suitable length to be bentnnvardly against the adjacent opposed portion )(5I ot thevside walhwhichportion Q6 is appreciablytapered, whereby the bridge 21 positivelysecured in position in the casing.

The spring 22 is formed oflwire, oi helical formand inolosesthe shaft12, the lower end of thebody or coil portion resting on the platform 2las ment1onedthe wire material 27 atthe ylower end being extended fromthespringl-` body, and positively secured to the bridge 21 in somepropermannerlas by being wound 1around the same,`as shown.

The upperend 30 of the spring 22` is secured theshat't 12 in somesuitable man1- ner, as by beingpassed through a hole in the same asshown.

As desoribechone endY of the spring Q2 is` secured to the easing 10 andthe other to the shaft 12, so that by turning the shaft l2 relatively tothe casing 11 thek spring is wound'up.

The spring 22 while serving as the Vwinding spring for winding the topserves also vas a ratchet spring for operating ratchet set of teeth 31on the casing, and a diametral pin 32 provided on the said shaft 19.

That is to say, the teeth 31 are provided on the under side of the topwall of the upper part 15 of the casing 10 and the pin 32 is held inbearing engagement with the said top wall by the spring 22, which is setso as to tend to open endwise, and operates as a compression spring, theprojecting ends of the in 32 engagingwith one or more o'f the teet 3l. Y

The teeth 31 are formed integrally with the top wall and of 'saw toothform, by the combination of a longitudinal or curved slit "33 and ashort vcross slit 34, the material severed by the said slits beingturned downwardly to-form the downwardly projecting ratchet teeth 31. Asshown there are four teeth 31. Y i

As described the pin 32 by engaging with the upper wall of the casingserves as a stop to limit the upward movement of the shaft, the'said pin32 thus serving as a stop for limiting movement of the shaftas well as apawl to limit relative rotative movement.

Thus as described the head 13 is normally held in the elevated position,the position being determined by the engagement of the pin with theupper wall of the casing.

In this position the head may be turned to wind the spring, theunwinding thereof being prevented by the ratchet and pawl mechanism.

To set the top spinning the top is held vertically, the head beingengaged by the palm of the hand, the tip resting on the table or othersupport. By momentarily depressing the head with the top in the positiondescribed, the ratchet mechanism is released, the top beingthus free toturn relatively to the shaft, andthe springimmediately imparts rotativemovement 'to the top, and as the head is released by removing the handthe head is returned to normal position andthe entire top structure,Aincluding the head and stem, rotates by reason of the impulse impartedby the spring.

My improved top as described is complete and self-contained, having4means for ell-'ecting the winding and for effectingV the in Fig. 1.

release of the spring after being wound and thus effecting the spinning,and the top structure has all parts permanently connected, VWithout anyremovable` or separate parts.

The modification shown in Fig. 7 involves special features ofconstruction. Thus the shaft 12a is made of heavy sheet material, thepawl` and stop pinl 32 is replaced Aby arms 3 2a integral with thersaidshaft 12, and the tip or' peg 11a is formed integral with thelower part14a. The operation is similar to that of the style shown In themodification shown in Figs. 9 to 11 there isa barrel 35 that serves as acore for thebody of the spring 22h, 'and the shaft 121 is short,terminating at the lower end inV an extension 49 that is entered intothe upper end ofthe barrel 35.

I prefer toincorporate the barrel'35 'with the bridge 22b as shown, the.same being formed from the blank as shown in Fig. 10,`

The said blank is rectangular in form, the upper portion 36 beingadapted to be. coiled around in cylindrical form to'form the barrel 35and the lower' part being divided by a longitudinal slit 37 into twobridge arms 38 that are bent outwardly laterally, in opposite direction,so as to combine to form they bridge ,211), and the supporting devicestherefor, comprisingthe downwardly projecting end portions 23b andthe'prongs 24h at the extreme lower ends. The body portion 36 i ofsuitable length to receive the coil or body portion of the spring 22,extends axially along the major part ofthe interior portion of the topstructure, terminating a suflicient distance from the roof to providefor operatively housing the shaft 12b and connected parts, within theupper portion of the top structure, p y

The shaft 12b is part of a moving 'member 39 on whichthe headorrhandle131 is mounted. y A 4 a The said moving member 39 is formed of heavysheet material, comprising ya body portion having apair of laterallydirected wings 40, a shaft member 41 extending `upwardlyfrom-the saidbody portion to form the upperend of the shaft 12b whichpasses throughthe roof ofthe top. and-to which the head`13 is connected, andtheextension 49 extending downwardly `into the upper end of the barrel 35and serving as the `lower shaft member, being` rotatively and slidablyVengagedwith the said upper end of the barrel 35.

VThe wings40 have'each an'upwardly ex,- i

tending lug 32b that serves as a pawlin cooperation with theratchetrteeth 31, and also as a longitudinal stop 'to limit the upwardmovement of the shaft 12? and `also have a `downwardly directed lug 4t2that overhangs the barrel 35. One ofthe said said wings 45 downwardly.

downwardly directed lugs 42 has a hole 43 for the end of the spring 22h,the other of the said lugs 42 being provided for the purposes ofbalancing the effect of the mating lug when the top is spinning.

The end of the upper shaft member 4l is reduced on two opposite sides toform shoulders 44 for the corresponding walls in the opening in the head13". On the two intermediate sides there are wings 45 in bearingengagement therewith formed by slitting the material of the head 13b,and turning the The slitting of the said material comprises a pair ofshort parallel slits 46 crossconnected by an inter mediateslit 47.

rl`he barrel 35 serves as a guide for the spring 22", preventingdistortion thereof, the operation of the top generally being similar forall of the different styles shown.

In some cases I may provide a small spring 48 between the roof of thetop and the head 13h to assist the main spring 221 in holding theratchet members in engagement.

I claim as my invention l. A top comprising a shell-like body hav ing atip at the lower end, a shaft rotatably and slidably housed in the saidbody and extending upwardly through the upper end thereof, a springwithin the said body connected by one end to the saidbody and by theother end to the said shaft, ratchet and pawl mechanism for checking thelunwinding of the said spring and the said mechanism comprising a set ofratchet teeth, integral with the upper wall portion of the said body.

2. A top comprising a shell-like body having a tip at the lower end, ashaft rotatably and slidably housed in the said body `and extendingupwardly through the upper end thereof, a spring within the said body,and connected by one end to the said body Copies of this patent may beobtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of and bythe other end to the said shaft, suitably to be wound by turning thesaid shaft relatively to the said body, ratchet and pawl mechanism forchecking the unwind ing of the said spring, and the said mechanismcomprising a set of teeth integral with the said body and an armextending radially from the said shaft.

In a top comprising a shell-like body and a shaft, a spring housedwithin the said body, and connected by one end to the said shaft, theotheil end of the said spring being supported by the said body and alsoconnected to the said body, and the support for the said otherend of thespring comprising a bridge extending across the said body, having meansfor receiving the lower end of the said shaft, and provided at the endswith means for being connected with the side walls of the said body.

4. A top comprising a shell-like body hav ing a tip at the lower end, ashaft rotatively and slid-ably mounted in the said body and having theupper end extending upwardly through the said body and provided with adisk-like handle, a main spring operatively connecting the said body andshaft for effecting alternative winding and spinning movements, and anauxiliary spring positioned between the said handle and the upper wallportion of the said body tending to lift the said shaft relatively tothe said body, an arm on the said shaft coperating with the upper wallportion of the said body for limiting the upward movement of the saidshaft, and the said upper wall portion having teeth for cooperating withthe said arm for checking rotative movement of the said shaft.

EUGENE FRANK SCI-IOELL.

IVitnesses JOHN F. QUINN, BENEDICT J. Scriwnrrznn.

Patents,

Washington, D. C.

